Hydraulically adjustable furniture



l May Z8, 1940. H. E. HYMER ET A1. 2,202,383

HY-DRAULI CALLY ADJ US TABLE FURNI TURE Filed Deo. 30, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l yINVENTORS Har/y E. /rj/mer /Peea ferr/Is ATTORNEYS May 28, 1940. H. E. HYMER ET A1.' 2,202,383

HYDRAULICALLY ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE Filed Deo. .'50, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 7L Harry f. Hymer' TL fr /Peed Fer/71S ATTORN EYS Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULICALLY. ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE Harry E. Hymer, Harrison, and Reed Ferris,

Eastchester, N; Y.

Application December 30, 1937, Serial No. 182,444

Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable article of furniture.

One object of the invention is to provide an adjustable bed, particularly for use in hospi- 5 tals, wherein the adjustment is effected by hydraulic means. Another object is to provide an efficient and fool-proof means for operating the bed. It is a further object-'to provide a means which may normally be operated by the occupant of the bed with very slight exertion. It is a further object to provide an operating means which will cause no inconvenience in the use of the bed and which may be readily employed on existing structures. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be dened in the claims ultimately appended hereto. One embodiment of the invention, for purposes of illustration, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bed embodying the principles of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrally through the control and pump mechanism of the bed shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. y

Fig. 6 is a section of the head portion of the bed shown in Fig. l, showing the operating means located thereon.

Fig. 7 is a section of the foot portion of the bed shown in Fig. 1, showing the operating means located thereon.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bed as shown in Fig. 7 having the adjustable portion in a lowered position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is a bed frame I which has supports 2 and 3 at either end. Carried on said frame is a body supporting structure which for adjustability is made in four sections which are a head section 5, a

central section 4, an upper foot section Ii, and

a lower foot section 1. 50 The sides of the central section 4 extend down to the bed frame I and are secured thereto.' The head section 5 is pivotally connected to said central section and said head section may be swung upwardly about said pivotal connection so that it will be at an angle to the horizontal.;

One end of the upper foot sectionA 6 is pivotally connected to the central section 4 and its other end is hinged or pivotally connected to the lower foot section 1. This upper foot section 6 may be swung upwardly about its connection to the 5 central section 4 so that it will be at an angle to the horizontal and in so doing itv raises the upper end of the lower foot section 'l so that said section is at an' angle to the horizontal, giving a bent knee characteristic to the foot section of the bed. The lower foot section 1 has a roller 8 at its lower end which rests on the bed frame I and permits that end of said foot section `to move along said bed frame easily. When the various sections of the body supporting structure are in their lowered position, their upper surfaces are adapted to come into alignment in a horizontal plane.

To raise the head section 5 there is a lever 9. This lever 9 is a double lever having two identical arms acting on either side of the head section 5. Each end of said lever has a roller I0 which engages the head section, the point of the levers engagement changes as said head section is raised, and said roller permits this to be accomplished readily. The lever 9 is pivotally fulcrumed in supporting brackets II secured on each side of the frame I. To one arm of the lever 9 there is secured a gear segment I2. This gear segment I2 engages with a gear I3 operatively connected to a pinion gear I4. 'I'he pinion gear I4 is driven by a rack I5 formed on I the end of a hydraulic ram I5 operating in a hydraulic cylinder I 6. The hydraulic cylinder I6, the gear I3, and the pinion gear I4 are mounted on the bed frame I by a framework I'I, these gears being carried by shaft II- supported transversely of the bed frame I by said framework. When force is applied to the hydraulic cylinder I6, ram I5 and the rack I 5 drive -the pinion gear I4 and in turn the gear I3 which advances the gear segment I2 acting in conjunction with the lever 9 to raise the head-section 5. To raise the foot section of the bed there is a gear segment I8 secured to one side of the upper foot 6. The gear segment engages with the gear I9 operatively connected to a pinion gear 20. The pinion gear 20 is driven by a rack 2 I formed on the end of a hydraulic` ram 2l operating in a hydraulic cylinder 22. The hydraulic cylinder V22, the gear I9, and the pinion gear 20 are mounted on the bed frame I by a framework 23 these gears being carried by a shaft 23 supported transversely of the bed frame I by said framework. When force is applied to the cylinder 22,

ram 2l and the rack 2| drive the pinion gear 29 and in turn the gear I9 which advances the gear segment to raise the upper foot section 6 and also the upper end of the lower foot section 1 giving the bent-knee effect.

'Ihe pressure to operate said hydraulic rams is supplied by a hydraulic pump 24, shown in Fig. 2, which may be connected to either of said rams selectively by a control valve comprising a body 25 rotatable in a chamber in a housing 42. The hydraulic pump 24 has a pumping cylinder 26 and a piston 34 in saidcylinder. The pumping cylinder is connected to a iluid supply reservoir 21 by a passageway 28 in the housing 42 and a one-way intake valve 29 and to the hydraulic rams by a one-way outlet valve 30, controlled by ball-checks 29', and 30', respectively, the control valve 25 and passageways 3i and ,32 or 33 in the housing 42.

An end of the piston 34 extends beyond the pumping cylinder 26 and is slotted to receive a pin 35 secured in integrally connected arms 36. The arms 36 are pivoted about a rock shaft 31 carried by a supporting bracket 38 extending from the bed frame I. Said arms have an extension 39 in which provision is made to receive a pump handle 40 so that by moving said handle an oscillatory motion is transmitted to the pumping piston 34.

The control valve 25 is a four-way valve and connects the hydraulic rams selectively either to the pumping cylinder 26 as described to supply pressure thereto or to the uid supply reservoir 21 by passageways 4I and 32 or 33 in the housing 42 to release the pressure on the selected ram. When pressure is released on either of thehydraulic rams the. weight of the respective portions of the bed being supported by said ram will carry such portion to a lower position until the release of pressure is discontinued.

The control valve 25 is operated by 'a shaft 43 extending through the housing 42and through a plate 44. A gear 45 is secured on said shaft at its outer end and engages with a gear segment 46 pivoted to the plate 44 and receiving a control arm 41 capable of moving said gear segment around said pivotal mounting and in turn moving the control valve 25 by means of said shaft and gear.

When the valve 25 is carried beyond a position connecting either of the two ranis I6 and 22 to the pump 24 to a position where the pressure on either of said rams will be released, a lug 48 on the gear segment 46 and projecting through an opening 5l in the plate 44 engages one of the rods 49. Said rods are arranged on either sideV of the opening 5I and are slidably carried by projections 50 on the inside of the plate 44. Springs 52 are arranged on said rods between the outer projections 50 and abutments 50 on the rods,

- so as to yieldably resist any sliding movement of the rods and to automatically return said rods to a predetermined position when any force tending to hold said rods in another position is released. That is to say, when the control arm 41 is moved to an extreme position to effect a release of pressure from one of the rams, it will be automatically returned to a position where the valve 25 will be in a pumping position when the force holding said arm is released, thus preventing pumping against a closed system and safeguarding against damage that'might result therefrom.

The plate 44 is mounted on the side of the bed frame l, and the housing 42, the iiuid supply reservoir 21, and the hydraulic pump are attached to said bed frame, all being located centrally of said bed frame. The control arm 41 and the pumping handle 40 are made removable so that the operation may be restricted when 5 desired, but when in place they extend upwardly at the side of the bed in a convenient position for use by the occupant of the bed.

It will be understood that the foregoing is in no way intended to limit our invention to a bed, l0 but is set forth as showing one possible application. While "hydraulic has been referred to inthe specification and claims it should be understood that that term has been used broadly to cover a fluid operated mechanism and as such would include devices operated by compressed air, oil, water, etc. It will be seen that this invention can be applied to many other types of adjustable furniture, such as invalid chairs, operating tables, reading chairs, and the like.

We claim:

1. An adjustable bed comprising a stationary central section, adjustable head and foot sections on opposite sides of said central section, a pump mounted on said central section and comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocable therein, a handle directly connected to said piston and arranged to reciprocate said piston, two hydraulic rams connected to said cylinder and arranged to raise or lower said head and foot sections, respectively, a valve controlling the connections between said'cylinder and rams and having passages arranged to selectively connect said cylinder to either one of said rams or to connect either one of said rams to a pressure releasing system, a handle on said valve adjacent said first-named handle, whereby the occupant of the bed may readily operate both the valve and pump, and means automatically returning said valve to pumping position after it lhas been moved to either pressure releasing position.

2. An adjustable bed comprising a frame, a central stationary section forming part of said frame, adjustable head and -foot sections on opposite sides of said central section, two shafts-4 extending transversely of said 'frame and rotatably mounted thereon, one of said shafts being adjacent said head section and the other adjacent said foot section, pinions on said shafts, gears meshing' with said pinions and operatively con- 50 nected to said head and foot sections, respectively, whereby'rotation of the pinions will adjust said sections, two hydraulic rams, one associated with each of said pinions and mounted' on said frame on opposite sides of-said central section and 55 extending lengthwise ofthe frame, each ram comprising a rack engaging one ofsaid pinions to rotate it or hold it against rotation, a pump mountf ed on said central section and having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder extending lengthwise of the frame, a pressure relief system, connections from said cylinder and system to said rams, a valve controlling said connections and comprising a'char'xiber with a body rotatable therein and having passages connecting said chamber to said cylinder, to said rams, and to saidv system, said body having means for connecting said cylinder passage or said releasing system passage with either one of said rams, and two handles, connected respectively to said valve body and to said piston and mounted on said central section. 3. An adjustable bed comprising a frame, a central stationary section forming part of said frame, adjustable head and foot sections on opposite sides of said central section, two shafts extending transversely of said frame andv rotatably mounted thereon, one of said shafts being adjacent said head section and the other adjacent said foot section, pinions on said shaftshgears meshing with said pinions and operatively connected to said head and foot sections, respectively, whereby rotation of the pinions will adjust said sections, two hydraulic rams, one associated with each'of said pinions and mounted on said frame on opposite sides of said central section and extending lengthwise of the frame, each ram comprising a rack engaging one of said pinions to rotate it or hold it against rotation, a pump mounted on said central section and having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder extending lengthwise of the frame, a pressure relief system, connections from said cylinder and system to said rams, a valve controlling said connections and comprising a chamber with a body rotatable therein and having passages connecting said chamber to said cylinder, to said rams, and to said system, said body having means for connecting said cylinder passage or said releasing system passage with either one of said rams, two handles, connected respectively to said valve body and to said piston and mounted on said central section, and means normally holding said valve handle in pumping position.

4. An adjustable bed comprising a frame, a central stationary section forming part of said frame, adjustable head and foot sections on opposite sides of said central section, two shafts extending transversely of said frame and rotatably mounted thereon, one of said shafts being adjacent said head section and the other adjacent said foot section, pinions on said shafts, gears meshing with said pinions and operatively connected to said head and foot sections, respectively, whereby rotation of the pinions will adjust said sections, two hydraulic rams, one associated with each of said pinions and mounted on said frame on opposite sides of said central section and extending lengthwise of the frame, each ram comprising a rack engaging one of said pinions to rotate it or hold it against rotation, a pump mounted on said central section and having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder extending lengthwise of the frame, a pressure relief system, connections from said cylinder and system to said rams, a valve controlling said connections and constructed and arranged to establish a connection between saidl cylinder or said releasing system and either one of said rams, and means to operate said valve and said pump.

5. An adjustable bed comprising a frame, a central stationary section forming part of said frame, adjustable head and foot sections on opposite sides of said central section, two shafts extending transversely offsaid frame and rotatably mounted thereon, one of said shafts being adjacent said head section and the other adjacent said foot section, pinions on said shafts, gears meshing with said pinions and operatively connected to said head and foot sections, respectively, whereby rotation of the pinions will adjust said sections, two hydraulic rams, one associated with each of said pinions and mounted on said frame on opposite sides of said central section and extending lengthwise of the frame, each ram comprising a rackv engaging one of said pinions to rotate it or hold it against rotation, a pump mounted on said central section and having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder extending lengthwise of the frame, avpressure relief system, connections from said cylinder and system to said rams, a valve controlling said connections and constructed and arranged to establish a connection between said cylinder or said releasing system .and either one of said rams, two handles, connected respectively ,to said valve and to said piston to operate the same, said handles being mounted on said central section and extending upwardly whereby the occupant of the bed may readily operate both the valve and the pump.

HARRY E. I-IYMER. REED FERRIS. 

